Former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Emeritus Peter Okebukola, has launched a new method for teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
The method, called the Model-And-Surpass Pedagogy (MSP), was unveiled at the 2025 international conference of the International Research Group (IRG), co-hosted by the Commonwealth Association of Science, Technology, and Mathematics Educators (CASTME).
The event, which ended on September 18, gathered educators and researchers from the US, UK, Burundi, Ghana, Finland, Nigeria, The Gambia, Mauritius, and Sierra Leone.
Professor Jomo Mutegi, past President of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST), presented the approach formally to the global academic community.
Okebukola, the first African to win the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Communication and Popularisation of Science in 1992, said the method was shaped by decades of research.
“My motivation for inventing methodologies for teaching science… is based on the overload of methods developed by non-Africans which are not fit for the African cultural context,” he said.
“The impression is always given that the method must be developed by the West to be right. Our researchers gleefully deploy these ‘oyibo’ methods and fail to innovate from within.”
He added: “The lacklustre performance of our students in STEM can be attributed, at least in part, to this mismatch. My goal is to elevate achievement and improve students’ attitude towards STEM.”
Building on Earlier Methods
Okebukola recalled his earlier contribution, the Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA), which he introduced in 2015 after four decades of research. He also developed the Okebukola Eco-Techno Cultural Theory.
According to him, “In the last ten years, CTCA has gained global prominence and is now in use in many African countries and several countries in Asia, Europe, and North America. Its efficacy in improving students’ performance in science and non-science subjects has been confirmed by numerous studies.”
Explaining his new pedagogy, he said: “The second method I just developed is the Model-And-Surpass Pedagogy (MSP). This is based on the framework of students modelling great scientists and striving to surpass them.”
He added: “The logic is that by striving to model the great scientist and implement a work plan to surpass such a scientist, the student will learn the way of the scientist and work towards achieving greater heights. When there is a will, there is a way.”
The Seven Steps of MSP
The MSP method follows seven practical steps.
- The teacher selects two great scientists related to the topic. At least one must be African.
- Two days before class, students are asked to research the scientists’ history, focusing on trials, triumphs, and attitudes worth emulating.
- At the start of class, students in groups compare and contrast the two scientists and present their findings.
- Each student identifies attributes they wish to model and surpass.
- The teacher introduces the lesson topic through the lens of the two scientists.
- The class is guided with interactive discussion to meet lesson objectives.
- Students engage in activities that reinforce both knowledge and ambition to exceed past achievements.
Okebukola believes this hands-on, aspirational method will boost learning outcomes. International observers at the unveiling also noted its promise for African schools and beyond.
You can read more about UNESCO’s work in science education here.
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